Bright Darkness
by ShiverDragon
Summary: A prelude to the storm. This is the prequel to Slayers: Link (in progress), contains all the foreshadowing you'll ever need. x/f, l/g **complete**
1. Prolouge

Prologue

Sunlight streamed brightly through the windows, illuminating wooden shelves full of valuable items. Tiny dust particles could be seen floating in sunlit patches, adding a general feeling of age and refinement to the small shop. The wooden floors and walls were well kept, despite their seemingly ancient essence. A middle aged Red Fox Clan beastman sat on a stool in the corner, behind an antique desk and an even more antique cash register. His feet were propped up lazily on the counter, as he was napping lightly in the warmth of the afternoon. A bulky, muscular lizardman was amongst the many shelves, carefully polishing a delicate jar with his rather large and not quite delicate clawed hands. 

"Ahhhhh." 

The lizardman looked up from his careful work, to see the owner of that happy sigh, and also the owner of the shop itself. Filia Ul Copt looked around her small establishment lovingly, walking immediately to her favorite jar, caressing it affectionately. She paused for a moment, taking in the air slowly. 

"I think we have finally achieved the correct air for an old antique shop," she said, her voice melodious and soft, greatly complimenting the air of the emporium itself.  "It has just the right amount of mustiness and spice for a place over 200 years old," A compliment on her part, seeing as how the shop had been founded exactly 5 years and 37 days ago. 

The fox smiled slightly at this, as he was halfway awake now. His Boss never got too mad at him for napping, unless, of course, something was stolen. _Then all hell would break lose with mace-sama..._ He thought, wincing a bit at the mental picture. 

"Jiras," Filia crooned to the aging foxman, having walked over to the counter after taking care to see that all of her inventory was shining and intact over the many shelves.  "Have we sold anything today?" 

"Ehh, not much business today m'afraid, Boss. We had some old guy come in looking for a bathroom, then a young girl who stuck gum under this counter when I was slee... errr looking away," Jiras rubbed his chin for a moment in though, then snapped his fingers (or paws, call them what you may) "Oh yeah, dis' old lady came in and bought that antique tea set that used to be in the front window." 

A look of intense remorse crossed Filia's face, which was quickly hidden by a shaky smile. 

"Ahh well... I-I suppose we would have had to sell it sometime," she said, with a look of profound sadness in her expression. It had been her favorite tea set, after all. "So, how much money did you manage to milk out of the old bat, anyway?" she said, her look suddenly much more serious and with a twinge of anger at the woman that had taken away her precious possession. 

"Ummmm... lesse..." Jiras said, moving from his leisurely position into an upright sitting stance, suddenly much more serious at his job then before. He knew better than to further provoke an angry Boss. "She paid exactly ahh... oooo, 1000 gold for the whole thing." 

Filia stopped short of an angry outburst. "Wow, that much?  How did you manage that deal Jiras? Are you actually becoming a good salesma..err.fox?" Jiras gave her a smug smile as an answer to that. If there was one thing he enjoyed the most in life, it was getting praised by the Boss. 

Glavos, the lizardman, had been quite silent during all these proceedings, noiselessly polishing the jars one by one, but decided to speak up at this point. "Actually," he said in his gruff voice, "Jiras didn't do any bargaining, 1000 was the old lady's initial offer." 

Jiras gave him a sour look, and reluctantly nodded to Filia, confirming the story. "Yea, she was really weird lookin' too, her hair was all purple-y colored and done up in a bun with two black chopsticks or whateva stickin out." 

"Hmmm..... hair dye for old folks is getting more popular these days..." Filia responded, generally uninterested now and still moping about her lost tea set. _I knew I shouldn't have put it in the front window... maybe I should have charged a hugely unreasonable price or something.... but then again, 1000 is really unreasonable. Wait, wait I have to protect my other favored antiques too! ahh, where to start..... ooo, I wish I didn't love everything in this store....,_ Filia thought, glancing around the store nervously. Unlike most shopkeepers, she dreaded sales and customers alike, which is the reason she always had Jiras and Glavos to run things. In the end, she could never stand to part with a beautiful antique. 

"--and she walked around ok, but kept her eyes closed like she was blind or something. Oy, d'you think she had magic helpin' her out or something Glavos? She's was a weird ol' lady, I got this really funny feeling from her, yah know?" Jiras finished his description, though it was just his regular chatter, and he didn't really expect anyone to be more than half-listening. Filia perked her ears slightly at the last statement as something clicked in her head, something that seemed not quite right about this whole situation. 

"Jiras... tell me more about this woman, please," Filia stated frankly, though her voice was becoming a bit shaky. 

"Uhh? Well, ahh, she walked around with this staff thingy that had a red gem at the top... It musta' been a fancy cane or something" Jiras continued, a bit unsure of himself now that his Boss seemed so intent on his seemingly meaningless story. "And, well, she had a crooked back, and was wearing this cloak thingy so she looked really creepy, hey, do you know her or somethin'?" Jiras looked at her questioningly. Filia had twitched and grown more agitated with each description, as now she had a clear mental picture of who exactly this "old lady" was. She knew who had taken away her precious tea set. 

Filia opened her mouth to say some nasty comment about the entire situation, when she felt a cold shiver go down her spine, as well heard the faint sound of teleportation behind her. She whirled, filled with rage, only to see the one person she had envisioned in her mind only a moment ago. Xellos Metallium floated quite contentedly in the air, his legs crossed and his staff placed across his lap. He had a bright, sunny smile upon his face, and Filia's most favored of teacups in his hand. He took a slow sip of the steaming tea, and cheerfully said two simple words to the enraged dragon-woman that was standing two feet from him. 

"Kon'nichi wa, Filia-san!" 

He then quickly teleported away, as a certain mace-sama was flying towards his head at roughly 100 miles per hour.

A/n: Ehhh.... my first real fanfiction. Starring our oh-so-favorite mozoku and ryozoku right now, but I will incorporate the others and their story's later on.... in the next chapter actually ^^. Sorry if it seems a bit boring right now, it always takes me a while to build up action in my stories... I'll try for a fast(er) plot now at least ^^;. Right now this takes place 5 years after the ending of Try, though it will skip around in the timeline as I do my own personal takes on the histories and futures of characters, and all that good fancy stuff. Rated R for a bit of language and... innuendo later on. Also may be some gore. Review if you please, thanks for reading.  

**P.S.~ I don't own slayers, nor do I claim to, all credits on the original characters to their creators, though my own made-up characters will of course be credited to me ^^ (is it just me or is all this junk painfully obvious and unnecessary?)**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lina Inverse; one of the most powerful human sorceresses, master of all things black magic and known as the lady of death and destruction amongst more common folk, was experiencing one of the weakest moments of her entire life. All of her confidence and power were gone, and she hardly felt strong enough to stand. The whole world had gone black around her, all sounds had been completely cut off, and only two things had her complete and utter attention at the moment. Gourry Gabreiv, and a small, yet beautiful gem-encrusted ring. He was on the traditional bended knee, with the velvet ring case extended towards her. His usually happy and carefree sky-blue eyes were now boring into her, full of soul and seriousness. This was a rare side to Gourry, one that Lina hardly ever saw outside of a life-or-death struggle, or in protecting her from harm. It was this change that she feared, the difference of life from one standardized, practiced setting to another, completely different one. That fear and surprise showed in her expression for a moment, as her brain struggled to contemplate his proposal. She tried to wrap her mind around the concept of married life with this man who called himself protector, and who she had called her best friend for eight years on the road. She attempted to consider all possibilities. 

But she found that she could not think of everything; could not use her mind and make the best possible choice, giving attention to all details, as she always did with all her decisions. This time, all she could do was stare into Gourry's eyes, to see his emotions, and consider his feelings and hers for that long moment. The fear and surprise faded from her eyes, and were replaced by a look of honest sincerity and emotion. One might say she was about to cry, though she would never admit to that. As her expression changed, Gourry's eyebrows cinched together slightly, she had been taking a while to decide, after all, and he wasn't sure if she would accept. That thought had frightened him to the core of his being, and his throat was choked slightly. 

"I...I... G-Gourry..." Lina stuttered, a bit incoherently, as a light blush began to form on her cheeks. She took a deep breath, blinking her eyes, then looked back at Gourry, this time with a familiar smile and expression. 

"Yes, I will marry you, Gourry," she said as her heart fluttered absently in her chest; her decision had been quite sudden. But she still felt the familiar sense of correctness, of something done right in the end. She almost felt as if she had defeated Shabranigdo all over again. 

Gourry's seriousness was abruptly over, and his old, familiar smile came back to his face. His eyes were cheerful, and Lina realized that he must have been as scared as she was a few moments ago. He stood up, and carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. She looked at it for a while, it really was beautiful. _He must have been saving up for it for a while now..._ She thought, remembering how he hadn't been eating as much as herself lately. She looked back up at him, still armed with a now deep blush and her confident yet slightly shaky smile, and the newly engaged couple embraced for a kiss. 

* * *

At that same moment, somewhere in the great, vast desert of the west, Zelgadis Greywords tripped on a stray rock, falling face first into hot, red desert sand. The sky was as blue and cloudless as you would expect for a desert, and Zel was not in his best mood at the moment. He lay in the sand for a while, pondering the mysteries of life, before coming to his senses and standing up. He brushed off his clothes absent mindedly, and tried to focus on the task at hand. Finding his all-important cure, of course. He had received a lead in the last town he'd been to that, hidden deep in the desert, he could find a temple devoted to a powerful type of white magic. And, of course, for a small fee he had purchased a map from the helpful citizen, which only served to get him completely lost in the great dunes and sandstorms. 

Zelgadis sighed softly to himself, and pulled the aforementioned map from some hidden compartment in his cape, all the time wondering why he had trusted anyone to make an accurate map of a vast wasteland. _Regardless_, he thought to himself, _I must follow up on any clue I find. Who knows? I might actually find something in this place..._

He then paused, took a drink out of his canteen, and stared for a moment at the little pink bracelet and blue charm that had been strapped to it so long ago. He rubbed his forehead lightly _I really have to stop all this hopeful thinking... I'm starting to sound like Amelia. This talking to myself thing isn't really helping my sanity much either...._ He added to his thoughts. Shaking his head and recovering his "cold-hearted" look, he scanned the desert landscape for any sort of landmark to go by to mark his position on the badly drawn, poorly written, and probably fake map. Seeing as how he had already exhausted most of his magical energy just flying around, looking for clues, he decided to climb to the top of a large dune to get a better look (not an easy task when your a 280-pound being whose skin is made of rock.) He found the biggest dune around, and began his climb, sinking deeply into the sand with each crawling step. He struggled on, determination being his strong suit; until he reached the "summit" of the hill, smiling that he had completed the daunting task. That smile quickly faded as he looked across the land, only to see a red sand sea stretching for miles in every direction. Zelgadis gave a heavy sigh, tossing the map over his shoulder. 

"I suppose this is a dead end after all...," he said, his voice filled with the sadness of yet another failed attempt at a cure. He jumped down the side of the dune, pulling off his trademark move of sliding effortlessly to the bottom. Or, at least he tried to, as his foot hit another rock in the sand, and he went tumbling head over heels down the rest of the hill, coming to a stop with a soft "thump" at the bottom. After a second of seething anger at his bad luck, he burst out of the sand, turning towards the defenseless dune to vent his anger. 

"FIREBALL!" 

The giant dune exploded in a wondrous display of sand, creating a rather large dust cloud. Zel coughed, sneezed, and over all regretted hitting a big pile of sand with a powerful magical attack. He raised his hands, casting a small bom de wind in the air around him to dissipate the cloud without creating a new one. As the dust cleared, he slowly opened his eyes; just to see a black, dune-sized temple with intricate gothic architecture half-buried in sand right in front of him. Zelgadis stared at the temple long and hard, with a rather unbecoming look of utter surprise on his face. The expression quickly became a wide and giddy grin, as he began to bom de wind away the rest of the sand, already very eager to enter the mysterious temple. 

* * *

The black mace slammed into a jar-covered shelf, destroying not only thousands of gold worth of precious antique jars and pottery, but a pretty damn good hand-crafted (well... hand-crafted by Glavos anyway) oak shelf. Jiras ducked under the desk to find shelter from any shrapnel, and Glavos found an excuse to go sweep the dusty streets outside the shop, leaving the dragon and demon to settle their differences in relative peace. "Ahh, now Filia-san, is that any way to treat an old friend?" Xellos asked innocently; he was standing right next to Filia now, with his hands on his hips and the same happy smile on his face. Filia bristled at him being so close, and her tail swished angrily. She ran over to grab her mace from the remains of the shelf. She faced him once more, holding her mace-sama in a threatening stance, as she glared at the mazoku priest. 

"I wouldn't stoop so low as to communicate with namagomi like you," she said, her voice taking on a dramatic change from the way it was just a little while ago, "Now what do you want here besides stealing beautiful tea sets from my honorable business?" 

Xellos tilted his head to the side a little, and gave her a confused look. "But Filia-san, I believe I paid rather generousl--" 

"I don't care," she interjected, looking now with sad, pouting eyes around the store that had been her life for five years, "My beautiful business is now tainted with mazoku money, and that worse then having it stolen. ohhh... who knows how business will be cursed now..." 

Xellos gave her a slightly indignant look, and was about to give a rather nasty retort when he was interrupted yet again, not by Filia this time, but by a certain teal-haired little boy who had decided to wake up from his nap at that moment and see what the commotion was about downstairs. Valgaav stood on the second to last step from the floor, holding on to the railing with one hand and a stuffed gold dragon doll with the other. He rubbed his sleepy, orange colored eyes and looked from one person to another that occupied the store that was the bottom floor of his house. "What's going on, mama?" he asked through a yawn. 

Xellos raised one eyebrow slightly, and opened his eyes to look at the child, thoughts and plans running through his head in very rapid succession. Filia saw this, and immediately ran in front of Val, hiding him from sight and holding her mace like a club. "Don't even begin to think anything, Xellos. Now get out of my store before... before I do something drastic," Filia said, trying her hardest to look menacing. 

Xellos smiled merrily at her comments, he really did enjoy anger, it was such a nice emotion. "Can I not stop by and see my favorite golden dragon, Filia- san? Well, I suppose it is your way to be so violent and unreasonable. Really, to treat a valued customer in such a manner, it isn't very proper of you." 

Filia growled at these comments, and tried to keep her temper in check. She knew his mind games, and tried to make herself ignore those remarks. "Everywhere you go, trouble and havoc follow, but I suppose that's the way of mazoku trash like you. Now tell me what you want here, or get out." She glowered at him, the ribbon on her tail flying behind her like a banner while Valgaav tried to peek at who was getting his mama so mad, still clutching his dragon doll. 

Xellos smiled, his eyes two perfectly bright crescents on his face as he raised his hand with his index finger extended. "My plans? Now those--" 

Filia flinched. "Don't say it..," she growled 

"Are..." 

Filia raised mace-sama, preparing to bash his skull in. "Don't you dare!" 

"A secret!" Xellos stated his catch phrase with relish, and then vanished as, once again, the mace went flying towards him, followed by the war cry of Filia. Another shelf of rare and valuable things was totaled in a glorious act of destruction. Xellos now floated near the ceiling with his legs folded Indian-style and his staff across his lap. Filia finally seemed to notice the ruins her store was quickly coming too, and gasped at the damage. She glared up at the giddy priest, pointing with a shaking finger at the dismantled shelves and artifacts. "You...you! Look what you did to my beautiful store! You will pay for this Xellos!" She yelled at the smiling mazoku above. 

"Ahh-ahh, now Filia-san," he said, waving his finger at the enraged dragon, "I believe you did all that damage yourself. You Ryozoku were always were the violent ones, ne?" He waved a good-bye, and teleported away one final time before Filia could retrieve her mace again. 

Filia walked to the middle of the store and fumed, veins popping out on her forehead and fists as she glared angrily at the pottery-strewn floor. Jiras slowly looked up from under the desk to see if the coast was clear, and Valgaav looked around, quite confused to the events that had just transpired in his half- asleep state. Glavos peaked in, apparently finished with sweeping the dirt road in front of the building. 

All seemed calm, and Valgaav slowly approached his mom, intending to ask what had happened, and who that strange, floating man was. As he approached, however, Filia chose that moment to jerk her head up, her eyes full of fire, as she said something she hadn't uttered in a long while. 

"DAMN YOU XELLOS!!" she screamed at the ceiling. 

Val jumped back at least 3 feet, Glavos went back to his "sweeping" (though now it could be called ducking and covering his ears), and Jiras found the dusty floor under the desk very comfortable all the sudden.

A/n: *blushes* yah.. I know I really suck at romantic scenes.. sorry about that, but it is kinda important to the story. I'm estimating Lina to be in her early twenties now, since its been about 5 years since the end of Try, so don't think of the proposal as too young, please ^^;. Thanks to all who reviewed, reviews are all that keep me going on fanfics ^^. I'm really killing myself over trying to get the proper slayer's mood and humor right, though I think I messed up a little on the dialouge... *weep weep* Oy, if you see any glaring mistakes, please point them out to me. Mind you, this is all based off of the anime, so no manga-history complaints please. 

**Disclaimer: see the prolouge... like hell I'm gonna write it out every time **


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A lone figure walked through the bustling city streets, the expression on his young face placid and bored as he grudgingly shouldered the weight of a rather large bag. He looked around, ignoring the populace and finding the street names on the tall posts near the corners of streets. He sighed and grumbled, quickly calculating that he still had 10 more minutes of walking to go. And the bag wasn't going to get any lighter until he reached his destination. He resumed his walking, this was his job after all, until he reached the right address, secretly marveling on how the church he was going to had been so greatly rebuilt in only six short years.

He walked up the marbled stone steps the lavish doorway, slamming the gold-plated knocker three times and waiting for a response. A few seconds passed and the messenger boy straightened his tunic slightly, and brushed his hair with his fingers. He had heard the rumors of the beautiful girls living in this place. The door ever-so-slowly opened to reveal a young girl of about 14, her head bowed as her eyes questioned him as to why he would ever want to visit a shrine-maiden temple of training. The boy blushed a bit a bowed awkwardly, she was pretty cute, and the clothing she was wearing weren't exactly modest.

 "uhhmmm... ye-yes I've got a delivery for the head mistress here.. uhhh Shyphiel or something? Is she uhhh, here?" The delivery boy gulped, and tried to think of anything but girls. Failing miserably of course.

 The girl smiled, looking through her bangs at the adolescent before her. "Ahh, of course Shyphiel-sensei is here, would you like me to take it to her? Is there something to sign?" The boy tugged at his collar slightly, this really want going to well for him, and he had thought he'd gotten over his shyness at age 13...

At the balcony, overlooking this entirely typical scene was the lady in question, Shyphiel herself. She sighed slightly, thinking of how it was to be young and in love. Her thoughts immediately, of course, drifted to images of her Gourry-sama from so long ago. She sighed softly, and went down to the main hall herself, if that little scene kept up she might not get her letter at all today, not to mention losing her best pupil to the clutches of puppy love. She walked up to her aforementioned student, tapping her on the shoulder slightly as she seemed to be entranced with the mailman's soft brown eyes.

"Aldia? I do think I'll take my letter now," she said, lightly snatching the white, embossed envelope from the boy, as he had been holding it a bit too roughly for the delicate paper it was composed of. Aldia looked quite embarrassed at this point, nodding to her head and looking at the ground. The boy just looked confused, and then began to cautiously walk off.  No need to get in trouble for this.

Shyphiel nodded to him; then turned to Aldia with a smirk on her face. "I think you can go on a lunch break now, just don't wander off too far," she said, winking at the young magic-user in training. Aldia looked at her sensei, her initial surprise finally fading into a wide grin as she ran off, yelling a thanks and looking for the handsome young man at the same time

Shyphiel smiled and shook her head slightly as the nostalgia came rushing back, making her way to her bedroom before finally realizing she had a letter to open. She sat down comfortably on the side of her bed, surrounded by neatly made and expensive white sheets and covers. She opened the envelope with care; it really was fine paper, with elegant embroidery and the address printed in calligraphy. She pulled out the letter, reading the delicate words with a smile on her face, thinking of who would send her such an obviously expensive correspondence. Her smile faded as she read the contents of the page, and her emerald eyes widened in pure shock

"Th-they're.... getting married?!" She gasped, and promptly fainted onto her delightful silk pillowcases in a flurry of motion.

*   *   *

Zelgadis cautiously peaked around the corner, checking the long corridor for any danger.  After he confirmed its safety with all his senses, the chimera gathered his bearings and strode confidently into the musty hallway, showing nothing of his previous hesitation.  There was his dignity to consider after all.  

_Strange_, he thought to himself as he ran his fingers over the smooth, featureless walls, _the walls, floors, even the ceiling are made of this black rock.. it seems almost like obsidian, but it's all in large blocks, there aren't any seams…._  He shuttered slightly.  It was quite eerie to see infinite reflections of yourself in every direction, especially if you weren't too fond of your looks.  Although the hallway itself was huge, with fifteen-foot ceilings and enough width for a small militia to pass through, Zelgadis kept to the walls and corners, shuffling along with a dim light spell as his only comfort in the strange temple.  He had been wandering the black halls and rooms for hours, finding no clear path in the place that looked like it had been made for giants.  The kindling of hope only seemed to burn brighter in his heart as time passed; such a weird place was bound to hide powerful magic, right?

He peaked around another corner.  He had been tense ever since entering the shrine; never managing to shake the constant, creeping sense of fear that had been edging it's way further into his mind the more he traveled into the belly of the building.  What he saw next was a bit astounding, even to a well-traveled man as himself.  The next passageway had large, and quite sharp looking black spikes at random yet close intervals, like a primitive security system.  He had seen the same spikes all along the outside of the temple, though at a much larger scale.  Repelling small and large threats?  Why would a temple like this have such an archaic defense system? The questions ran through his mind like water as he tried to logically evaluate the situation.  And failed.  

After that moment of deliberation, he decided to do things Lina-style: bust in and see what happens next.  He put on his best cocky smile, and prepared a favored attack.

"Flare Arrow!"  He yelled, watching himself perform the attack from several different angles in black reflection.  The room lit up a bright orange as the magic fire screamed towards its target…. and fizzled out upon impact.  Zelgadis blinked quite a few times, then growled under his breath in frustration.  Things just did not work out for him sometimes.  

He gave up the Lina-tactic, and sighed as he began to try and push his way through all the tremendously sharp spines, grumbling when his clothes tore (he did hate clothes shopping, especially when sales people went running in terror), and wincing when he made a great enough mistake and his stone skin was ripped up.  Needless to say, Zel was not very happy when he emerged, torn and bleeding, from the hall.  He sighed, conjuring up a light healing spell for a particularly nasty gash in his side, then proceeded into the next room.  One couldn't say he wasn't resolute in his goals.  

*   *   *

Amelia was positively beaming.  Here they were, her greatest friends, ex-traveling companions, all around good guys (some of the time), etc., etc., getting ready to be united forever in the most beautiful, happy, and (most of all) Just ceremony ever to be created.  Not to mention she had convinced them, her father, and the entire tax-paying country of Sailoon that the wedding had to be held at the castle, with the most lavish and extravagant embellishments, with everyone and they grandmother invited (literally), and within the shortest time period possible.  A daunting task to say the least, but she was ready to make sacrifices for her friends, especially for this moment she had dreamed of since she was a kid (over-romanticizing every aspect of the proposal and wedding of course).

Obviously the happy couple was a smidgen terrified of being wed at the castle of a large kingdom with thousands of strangers and (even worse) friends and family watching (though most of that terror belonged to our bashful bride-to-be).  But according to the hyper-energetic princess, a mere country wedding would simply not do, and of course all it took to enforce her position were the kind and gentle words of her father (and maybe a Pacifism Crush or two).  

And thus, Amelia had her wedding plans, drowned in romance and just waiting for someone or something to screw it all up.

*   *   *

Lina looked around her new room with no small amount of awe.  Amelia had given them the suite of suites when it came to her castle (minus her own personal quarters of course), and it looked as though Sailoon royalty didn't pull any punches when it came to rich living.  The room was done up in shades of purple and blue, with expensive cloths, carpet, and pretty much everything else.  Compared to the traveler's customary Inn and camping standard living space, this was a dreamland.  _If you took away all the cheesy white magic circles all over everything, this would be perfect_ Lina thought, setting her meager belongings on the floor.  All she ever really needed in her own travels was money.

She sat on the bed, popping a complimentary pillow mint into her mouth, and reflecting on the week's events.  She and Gourry had come into Sailoon for magic research (and to stop by the new specialty foods shops of course).  Visiting Amelia hadn't been on the list, but as usual she had managed to stumble by them, convincing them to sit down for dinner with her.  Lina agreed (after getting the assured promise of Amelia picking up the tab), and sat down at a new restaurant that served magically enhanced food.  Though the soup tasted like pizza and the roast pig like roast chicken, the meal was, overall, a very enjoyable gathering of old friends…  for about thirty minutes, after which Gourry took it upon himself to propose.  In the middle of a crowded restaurant, in front of a starry-eyed Amelia, and setting Lina's happy little world into a whirlwind of activity and change.  She smiled softly, thinking of how she must have looked when he asked; her mouth covered with crumbs and lamb-flavored barbeque sauce and him with a rather large smear of mashed potato across his cheek.  Of course after all those tense moments were over Amelia had practically tackled them, already planning half the ceremony.

She looked around the room a little more, enjoying the quiet as Prince Philionel and the royal court had snatched Gourry away for a little "justice speech".  Bored, she grabbed Gourry's mint and sat down on the bed once more, wondering what was taking so long, the quickly reassuring herself this was Prince Phil she was thinking about, and he probably had a one hour speech minimum.

She sighed, closing her eyes, once again thinking of the future.  Now she had an actual plan, and actual life; something more than being a traveler or a mercenary.  It still frightened her a bit, but she was slowly getting used to the idea.  _Now if only Amelia didn't insist on marrying us in three short weeks…_She mused, quietly debating between getting hitched fast and getting out, or staying like this for a while and giving herself time to adjust.  Option one was winning out of course.  

Lina lay on her big, comfy bed, brooding all these things in the perfect harmony of silence.  Which didn't last long.  At first, she just felt a slight tingling at the very back of her skull, as if someone was tickling her brain very lightly.  Then came the full frontal assault.  Lina instinctively grabbed the sides of her head as she was trying to deal with the intense, throbbing pain that now ripped through her mind.  Her eyes squeezed shut tightly with tears starting to form.  Her mouth opened to scream, but all she could manage was a tight gasp of pain, and the agony that was rumbling in her head.  She thrashed on the bed, knocking over some pillows and one of the lamps, trying to combat whatever was tearing at her mind.  

After about five minutes, the intense, violent pain was gone.  Lina lay, unmoving on the bed as she took slow breaths.  The ache went down slowly: from migraine, to headache, to finally a dull throbbing.  She still lay there; her eyes now wide open in shock upon the spot where her tears soaked the blanket.  Her healing mind slowly wrapped around the though of 'what?' and 'why?' as she distantly remembered the sound of someone else's laughter in her thoughts.

*   *   *

The dry bristles of the broom rasped against the floor unceremoniously.  Little hand-painted shards of finely sculpted and fired clay made their way into the small tin dustpan without complaint, only scratching up the wooden floors a bit with their passage.  But, as it was, Filia wasn't thinking of pottery right now, or brooms or cleaning, or even her nice polished floors becoming scratched; she was thinking of Xellos.   His laughing face seemed to have burrowed itself into her skull, and she couldn't seem get rid of his image.  It was almost like old times again, minus the threat to the world and the terrifying, apocalyptic danger.   _Why did here come here?  This place is the middle of nowhere when it comes to mazoku.  He doesn't go anywhere unless if for one assignment or another, right?_  She pondered, folding her hands upon the top of the broomstick and resting her head on them, _so I have to find his motive then…_  She closed her eyes and sighed, this was going nowhere and she felt like a failing detective.   She shook her head and went back to her work, _Anyway… if he comes back here, I'll kill him_, she resolved, well aware of his rank amongst demons and gods alike.  Filia Ul Copt had an inborn stubbornness like no other.

She continued her sweeping, there were other things to put her mind to, such as replacing the lost artifacts in her store (that would undoubtedly come out of her two employee's salaries), getting food from the market, making sure Val stayed out of trouble (a full-time job in and of itself), and not to mention preparing for the harvest festival that was being held that very night.  She was determined not to let that namagomi ruin her day.  Her eyes suddenly went wide as she went over the to-do list in her mind, focusing on the very last entry.  Harvest Festival.  Tonight.  She had completely forgotten (the morning's visitor no doubt heeded her ability to think clearly).  The broom clattered to the ground as she scrambled to get ready in the shortest time possible; the tasks that needed to be done running through her mind almost as fast as she ran to go find her adopted son, and get things moving towards the ultimate end of a night of excitement at the annual Ruxtoul Harvest Festival.

*   *   *

Meanwhile, Valgaav was visiting the local dark magic academy, showing his utmost respect for the students and staff by beating the pulp out of any and all challengers in magic skirmishes.  Being a mere five years old, Val wasn't quite old enough to join the ranks of the educated mage elite, but his age didn't fairly reflect his skill by any means.  Using magic was, to him, like breathing; he could use a simple light spell before he could walk.  Not that his mother ever approved of that; not in the slightest.  Every time she discovered him using even the crudest spells, the disciplinary action was, well, to Valgaav at least, extremely harsh (known examples being candy and/or outdoors "privileges" swiftly taken away, and that wasn't even mentioning her often fierce speeches and quick tongue).  Thus, little Val trained here, away from the public, and away from mama's watchful eye.  

"Freeze Arrow!"  He cried in his childish voice, as large, deadly looking frozen crystals formed in his diminutive hands, then proceeded at high speed towards their intended target of a 14-year-old, very frightened freshman.  The undergraduate kept his cool, and formed a defensive shield in front of him…. or tried to at least.  When his shield fizzled, so did his bravado, and the female students giggled as he ran screaming from the hail of magic ice.  

Valgaav smiled at his victory, moving into a confident stance and holding his fingers in a "V" for victory to the adoring (or more accurately: astonished) crowd.  He struggled to hold back a grin as his shaggy teal hair a homemade cape (or as most would call it, a bath towel tied around the neck) fluttered dramatically in the breeze.  The male students grumbled about luck while the girls 'awwed' over the cute little kid that had shown such skill against the older black-magic user.  

Valgaav relished this moment most of all.  Defeating opponents, especially big, bad ones, always seemed to make his day.  He looked coolly around (and up, considering his height relative to the others there) for his next challenger; according to the sun he still had a good 30 minutes before he had to run home for dinner.  A low, rumbling laughter set off his next contender, and Val looked up, then up some more, and finally craned his head almost vertical to see the face of his new enemy.  Standing at just about seven feet tall, Olisian Con Verete was the biggest, baddest freshmen at the academy, and it just so happened he didn't have any qualms about picking on those smaller than him (which included just about most of the world's population).  He had a smug smile plastered across his lips as he looked upon his young prey.

"So this kid is what all the talks' about?  He's not tough at all, and barley stands at my knee," he scoffed in a low baritone, "I bet the lucky little bastard still sleeps in a crib with a dolly."  A massive hand came down upon Val's spiky sea-green hair, the fingers wrapping easily around his small skull and lifting his light weight high into the air (7 feet to be exact), bringing the giant and the boy at eye level.  Valgaav had his arms crossed tightly; apparently not aware of or not caring about the fact that the big freshman could crush his cranium at any moment.  A slight blush remained on his chubby cheeks from the doll comment that hit so close to home, but he still stared defiantly at Olisian with orange, narrowed eyes.  Olisian flicked Val lightly on the forehead with his free hand, the half-smile remaining on his lips like a permanent mark.

"Well?"  He said, as Val scrunched his nose slightly at the bad breath, "Aren't you going to say something kid?"

Valgaav's scowl remained as his eyes narrowed a little further, and he uncrossed his arms, holding them as fists to his sides.  After a long moment a smile crept up slowly on his face, and he swiftly put his hands right in front of him, his palms ending up about two inches from Olisian's face.   Olisian's smug smile became a look of dumbfounded confusion.

Val's scowl became a grin.

"FIREBALL!"

Olisian dropped Valgaav, cricking back slowly as he coughed smoke out of his charred face.  He did a full back flop to the dusty earth as Val landed lightly without a scratch and his bath-towel cape flying dramatically around him.  The crowd was silent… For about one full second; as they then burst into applause (who doesn't like the see the underdog win in the end?).  A pair of sympathetic (and probably recent losers to Val) freshmen dragged Olisian off, putting out the fire in his hair while they were at it.  In the meantime, Val continued to try and keep his cool look, resisting the powerful urge to jump around like an idiot screaming 'Victory!' as any normal five year old would if he had just beaten up the biggest guy around.  

He continued his triumphant pose, until he noticed all the cheers were getting smaller and smaller, and finally stopped.  He tilted his head to the side, slightly confused by the formerly jubilant people standing before him.  They were all deathly quiet, and ever so slowly backing away from him, as if they were scared.  Val looked around, very puzzled by now, but only seeing the normalcy of the academy's training grounds.  Until, of course, he turned around, and found himself staring into the face of a demon.  A demon with long blond hair, blue eyes, and white robes, that is.  He instantly froze, and his facial skin turned blue and white with shock.  Orange eyes bored into deep blue, which burned fiercely with rage.  

"Ka-Ka-Kaaa-saaaan?"  He squeaked, shaking slightly as he took a slow step backward.  All his most dreaded fears had come true, he would be ground for at least twenty years after this little incident.  

"Valgaav Von Copt," She said in a low, purring voice, "What have I told you about magic? Especially Black magic?"

Val shook his head, no longer able to speak.  The climactic ending approached as he gulped in terror.  

"Owww, ow ow ow ow ow….," he chirped, as Filia's fingers pinched his ear, and she began stalking off, Val hopping on one foot sideways to keep up the pace.  He really did not want to be dragged at this point.  He took a last glance back at the students of the academy, who were all by now very glad they had left their mothers at home.  _Great… there goes all my credibility…_ he though mournfully as he half walked, half hopped himself in line with the calming Filia, towards the exit of the Dark Magery Academy.

A/n: Yaaaayyyy. Another chapter, finally completed! W00t. Sorry it took so long, but right about the time I finished ch1 my brother and I "modified" (broke) the computer. But, never fear, I have a new computer now (A cheap, 400$ one at that! Sweet!) and can write once more. Again. my plot is slow as molasses, but I guess that's just my style right now ^^; I'll try to get new chappies out faster as time progresses (work.school. they take up most of my time nowadays. blee). This section of the fic is ending quickly (mostly because. well. I don't like writing it as much as like daydreaming about the next section). Expect this. uhh. book I guess to be over in the next 2-3 chapters, and then a new one will start. I'm thinking of a trilogy, revolving mostly around the slayers cast and my original characters (which will show up later.. much later actually) Well, that's all I have to say today ~Shiver

**Disclaimer: standard disclaimer applies.**

**P.S. ohhh yah, before I forget, I might actually get a web site up for this fic, because my good friend ladygoddess (Small Lady here) is drawing my some awesome fanarts ^^ coolness man, infinite coolness.. *Drool***


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She sat in the cool bathwater, trying to stop herself from shaking.  A symphony of crickets and nocturnal creatures played softly in the night's background as she gazed at the last of the water dripping into the tub.  Sailoon was one of the first kingdoms to have a fully operational indoor plumbing system; most other, smaller places still relied on water wells, pumps, and hot springs for their needs.  But Lina was glad for the privacy an indoor bath gave.

Gourry had come in just when she'd enough strength and control to move again, and she had managed to escape to the bathroom, mentioning something about tiredness and too much excitement before he fired any concerned questions at her.  Lame excuse, considering her life, but it would have to do.  She wasn't sure she could tell anyone about what happened, she didn't quite understand it herself.

She shuttered, causing little ripples in the water.  She still had that feeling of wrongness, almost of violation in her head, and it was nauseating to say the least.  She was sure that there had been some sort of presence in her mind, though she had no clue what or, even greater the question, why it had been there.  She shook her head, gathering resolve; this was not going to ruin her day, week, and most certainly not her wedding.  

She sank deeper into the water, with only her eyes above the water as she exhaled slowly in anger.  _Why do these things always have to happen to me?_

*   *   *

In pitch-black oblivion, Zelgadis's world collapsed.  Literally.  The floor seemed to be one extremely smooth, extremely steep slope, and he felt slightly panicked as he was rapidly slipping into the perpetual darkness ahead.  He clawed desperately for anything to stop his descent, but found no footholds upon the cold, glossy obsidian rock.  _I will not scream, I will not scream, I will not scream… his thoughts ran, jumbled together as he took a deep breath and gulped, attempting to clam down.  _

Zelgadis then proceeded to move into action.  His first conjured a light-spell, tossing is as hard as he could in front of him… only to have it come rocketing back to smack him in the face.  He rubbed a now sore nose, but diligently made another light spell, this time attaching it to his clothes so it would stay with him at this high speed.  A million refractions and reflections came into his vision (he was becoming rather annoyed with this by now), but at least he had some semblance of where he was in the universe now.  Which didn't really help much.  As far as the light spell reached, there was nothing but darkness and the perpetually lustrous rock floor.  _This room must be gigantic… Zelgadis thought hopelessly __that's does it, no more of this, I'm leaving, he made his decision, and slowly, clumsily, began to try and stand on the slick surface while slipping at the same speed he had been, perhaps even faster.  The floor seemed to be getting a little steeper, though it could have just been his imagination.  _

Zel finally managed an unbalanced and awkward stance, akin to that of a first time surfer in a tsunami, and leapt confidently off the floor, chanting the old, memorized spell in his mind.  He really only needed to speak aloud the last part out loud to achieve the desired effect.  "Ray Wing!"

Zelgadis soared into flight, his tan cape flowing dramatically behind him as he smirked triumphantly.  Then gravity took effect.  Zel went back towards the ground, flapping his arms wildly in an attempt at avian flight, and not succeeding in the slightest.  He landed on his head, hard, and continued his slide into the bottomless void, this time head first and half dazed.  His light spell had dimmed to almost nothingness, and none of his latter attempts at high magic worked at all.  _I suppose I know now how Lina feels at that- time-of-the-month… he thought randomly, his cheeks darkening slightly even in the solitude of the cold, gloomy temple.  _

He slowly stood up again, his feet loosing their grip on the ground, as friction escaped him again and again.  He was now determined to either get to the treasure of this temple, or find the fastest way out, whichever would better preserve his life.  His thoughts were quickly interrupted, though, as reactions took over and he moved to the left as much as possible to keep his arm from being sliced off by a large, knife-like black spike.  _Not this again, they built in some sort of magic diffuser but still resort to this archaic method…_ he thought, still wincing from his earlier encounter with the temple's main defense.  _Whoever built this place seriously did not want anyone finding what was hidden here, it has to be something important, or powerful… strong enough to nullify my curse…_

Thoughts soon became less important that having ownership of all his limbs, though, and he spent all his efforts franticly dodging an increasing number of razor-sharp barbs.  His immense skill and reflexes (coupled with his incredible luck) managed to save his life once again, and Zelgadis was able to emerge from the spine field with only excessively torn clothing, hundreds of minor cuts, and a few large gashes.  The slide, however, had ended.  

Zel fell three feet to the floor from where the slope turned vertical.  His chest heaved raggedly with each gasping breath as he struggled to stand, reflexively calling on a healing spell that would not come.  He opened his eyes to be completely surrounded by black, with no clear idea of where he was or what awaited him at the nexus of the mysterious obsidian temple.

*   *   *

Gourry was confused.  Not that he was the type of man to ever think deeply for extended periods of time, but now he seemed more confused and lost than a small puppy abandoned in a wolf-infested forest.  His brow knit and his hand went absently to his chin as he tried to use his limited knowledge and comprehend the new Lina situation.  She had walked like a drunk to the bathroom when he came in, and was looking and talking like a zombie.  Lina was obviously broken, and he needed a way to return her to proper working order.

A slow smile brightened his face as an idea came to him at last, and he confidently walked up to the bathroom door and knocked.

A muffled "mmph" was heard from within, as expected, but Gourry went on with his carefully prepared and eloquent speech.

            "Oy, Lina, uhhh… Amelia has invited us to go with her to that famous soft-serve ice cream place thingy tonight, do you wanna come?"

            Silence answered from within the room.  The puzzled expression began to return to Gourry's face, as he tried to contemplate a Lina that didn't want ice cream.  His hopes were raised, though, as a voice called from the depths of the bathroom. 

            "Her Treat?"  

Gourry smiled wide.

            "Ahh… I think so…" He hardly got to finish the statement, as the fiery redhead burst from the door, soaking wet and dressed only in a towel, with her old devilish smile on her face.  She looked upon her astounded counterpart, tilting her head and remarking that he should hurry, before getting dressed and out the door in 10.35 seconds.  Lina still managed to amaze Gourry, even after all these years.

*   *   *

It was amazing how interesting the floor could be.  The swirls of wood grain, enhanced by a fine deep stain, created a random yet somehow controlled pattern across the length of the smooth surface.

"Are you even paying attention to me?! VAL!"

Valgaav's head jolted up and to attention, and he saw the annoyed and flustered state of his mother.  She had begun her lecture about the dangers and responsibilities of magic-use almost a half hour ago, and like most young boys his attention had wondered from her heartfelt words and philosophies.  After uttering an unenthused 'uh huh…' and enduring an unhappy scowl, he listened to the end of her lecture, which included his punishment of 'grounding until further notice'.  He looked down, disheartened, a sentence like that could mean two weeks or two years, and knowing his mother's strong dislike for his magic using, it would be the latter.  

"Now," she went on, moving towards the door, "I am going to the Harvest Festival tonight, and you're going to Jiras's for the night while I'm out."

Val smiled at this.  Not only did the fox always let him have and do whatever he wanted, but he also seemed to have an odd sort of respect and admiration for him, like he was a superior or something.  He might even get in a few more hours of magic practice while at the beast man's home.  _This isn't turning out to be such a bad day after all… _ Val thought as he feigned unhappiness, and began to gather his things for the short trip, secretly packing his cape and headband.

Filia didn't notice her punished child's happiness, though, as she was already out the door, confident the boy would get in no more trouble and she would be free of worry for the duration of the long festivities.  She smiled gleefully, thinking of the nice dress and jewelry she had managed to buy just for events like this.  Hopefully, a good appearance at the festival would improve her low standing with the townspeople as a single mother who seemed 'just a little odd'.  Human's always seemed to shy away from dragons, even those who were perfectly transformed into human shape, and as the years had passed by, Filia had wanted at least some other company than Valgaav and her employees', even if it were just humans and their little lives.  She began to get ready, confident her appearance and mood would offset the subconscious barriers that existed between humans and dragons.  

*   *   *

Shyphiel stood tall and proud, her face schooled into a calm facade of control.  The only outward sign of her inner emotional turmoil the slight twitching of her mouth or eyebrow.  Most of her entourage of shrine-maidens-in-training avoided contact with her, sensing the time-bomb-like mood of their sensei.  They had begun their journey to Sailoon two days ago, and would arrive within 3 days of the wedding.  Initially, Shyphiel had wanted nothing to do with the whole affair, citing a newfound and deep resentment for the bride, but eventually she had decided that it was in her best interest to make sure the wedding was pure, fair, and just, as shrine maidens' were meant to do, right?  And if the wedding so happened to go awry, then it was just fate, and everyone should deal with it.  

She smiled for the first time in the day, though it wasn't her usual, pleasant, saccharine smile, and much more resembled a mazoku-with-a-plot type of grin.  A few of her students backed off a little more, nervous expressions adorning their faces, but the expedition continued at a steady pace nonetheless, intent upon reaching its goal.  

*   *   *

            She strolled along the pure white, reflective marble floors, giving detailed instruction where necessary to the hard-working and well-paid palace staff.  Her smile and attitude were confidant, and her outlook optimistic as she watched the hand-engraved pews being strenuously dragged in from the royal church; and a wide variety of flowers carefully arranged to provide maximum ambiance to the room.  Of course the only place Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabreiv's wedding could be held was the grand hall, the largest and most luxurious room in the expansive Sailoon castle.

            Amelia adjusted her gown, smoothing the crinkles and moving the jewelry in place, as she prepared to meet her father and royal court officials for discussions on the kingdom's internal trade affairs.  Sadly for her, the work of the palace didn't stop with her announcement and planning of the wedding of two friends of the royal house.  She sighed quietly, and began her walk to the next floor of the castle and the counsel room, leaving the grand hall to the workers and supervisors.  She rounded corner after corner, walking through silent corridors and noisy hallways, reluctantly moving towards her destination.  The counsel members and court officials had been rather obnoxious lately, and always seemed to be undermining her father and herself as heir at every turn.  It was everything she could do to keep them in line.

            She made her way down the final corner, but instead of a calm walk the rest of the way as expected, the sight of Lina and Gourry, half walking and half jogging down the thickly carpeted floors, greeted her.  Lina had him by the hand, and was talking to him excitedly while he smiled in that brightly-dull Gourry kind of way.  Their very presence contributed a vibrancy to the usually calm and serene hallway, and Amelia smiled cheerfully at them as they approached.  Gourry noticed her and blinked innocently, as if he was trying to remember something but could not quite grasp it, which was quite typical for him.  They seemed to fit into their new roles very easily, and it was as if nothing had changed, even though everything had.  Lina's annoyance at her groom's limited intelligence was made up for with her adoration of his character; and he loved her just the same as he always had, though now it wasn't at a distance or quietly, found only in a smile or a look.  No, now they both seemed to belong to each other; their differences balanced perfectly and their souls in a magnificent harmony that had always existed, though not quite so openly.  It was a beautiful, long-awaited sight to see.

            "So it's ice cream tonight, ne?" Lina called as she came, a wry grin upon her face, "You really treat us to richly here, I haven't had to pay for a thing since I got here, not that I'm not perfectly willing to take advantage of that of course."  

            "Ice cream?" Amelia said, puzzled.  She hadn't recalled making plans for that this night.  She was startled out of her quizzical expression, however, as she glanced at Gourry and saw the odd look on his face.   _Perhaps there is something wrong here…she pondered.  Then, in her very Amelia-esque style, she made a quick, arbitrary decision and a subsequent mental note to apologize to her father and the court officials for missing the meeting.  _

            "Ohhh, yes, ice cream, of course, how could I have forgotten?" she put on a wide smile "Let's go!"  She would be regretting this later, especially the part where it was "agreed" she would pay for this outing.  It had been hard enough to convince the castle to hold the wedding out of their own pockets, and all these extra expenses were making the treasury look rather thin.  As she turned around and began to walk with her friends, Amelia made one last note to step up the time of the wedding, so the resulting money backlash wouldn't be to severe.  It took a whole treasure room to fill up her friends (not the mention herself) every night during meals, and she was already going to be scolded severely enough.  _Besides she added an after thought as they left the palace _it would be unjust to have them stay longer than they want to, Lina and Gourry have always been travelers._  She smiled to herself at her own logic, and got the medallion of the royal family ready to charge all expenses on._

*   *   *

            In the center there was a burning blackness; deeper than the darkest night, and with more heat than a blazing hellfire.  The air was stagnant and sulfurous, and the only things to see outside of the infinite darkness were the bright flashes of red light that ran like scarlet lightning over the core.  It was enough to blind a normal human, or at least to make him run screaming madly into the thick black that surrounded him like so many layers of a woolen blanket.  But Zelgadis stood there, panting from wounds he could not heal, steeped in his golem skin and demon flesh as his human mind tried to operate, or at least keep him from fainting.  The core was so hot it seemed to ripple and dance in front of him, like a distant oasis in a desert.  He slowly put one foot in front of another, shuffling towards the large sphere of concentrated energy.  It was foolish, he knew that.  What kind of curse-curing, healing power would such a destructive energy hold?  But he found it impossible to turn away, as if the energy was beckoning to him and he could not resist.  

He stopped.  He was close enough now to feel the searing heat, and the blood on his clothing began to dry out and bake.  He reached out towards the sphere with a shaking hand.  Every inch he moved his hand closer he convulsed and winced at the pain.  The fingerless gloves he always wore caught fire and burned off, and his stone skin began to become charred and black, yet still he pressed on, until his fingers could almost touch the rippling surface of the sphere.  His arm was now badly burned, and even his wiry hair was becoming singed at the edges.  It seemed the closer he came to the mass of energy, the more intense the heat became.  He was in an inferno, yet still pressed on.  

_I can't give up now… even if this cursed body becomes burned, mauled, destroyed… I don't care about it anyway.  If I don't get back to normal, get back to my humanity… _He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, the thoughts echoing in his head _if I don't get back to my humanity…_

"IT'S NOT WORTH LIVING AT ALL!"He half yelled, half screamed as he made the final push of his exhausted muscles, and the palm of his hand made full contact with the black energy.  He continued to scream as this stone skin, his stone shell of protection was burned away, and his blood spilled onto the magic sphere.  The crimson lightening immediately leapt to his outstretched arm and body as more of his blood spilled into the blackness.  Zelgadis squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block off the agony felt in every part of his body and mind.  

_I'm going to die if this keeps up…_he thought through the pain, yet forced another hand onto the sphere.  The lightening increased and flashed all around him, blinding him and creating a clangorous ringing in his pointed ears.  Then, with one final, forced push of all the scraps of strength and will he had left, he slammed his body into the sphere.  

_Either kill me or cure me_ He thought with finality.

To his surprise, he began to sink into the sphere, surrounded by coils of blood red lightening and throbbing with pain.  As he sunk in deeper, the only sound he could hear was his own heartbeat thumping wildly against the growing intensity of a high-pitched shrieking in his ears.  His consciousness began to grow fainter as his will faded away.  The heartbeat slowed rapidly, and he suddenly felt as fragile and light as a moth wing.  As his mind died away into the bright blackness of the void he had forced himself into, he almost thought he heard a feminine, musical laugh of a woman; before he could hear no more.

*   *   *

            She slipped into the dress, the silky, pure white cloth creating a pleasant friction against her skin.  She had saved some gold for a while to buy the expensive, foreign cloth to make the dress, and had taken at least three weeks to sew it all together with her limited and impatient sewing skills.  She was so used to getting clothing from the dragon artisans at the temple, specially imbued with magic to make them outlast any of her dragonic transformations and return with her to human form.  Filia had packed those priestess robes away when she had come to Ruxtoul with Val, trying to blend in with the general population, to become a commoner so that she might raise her son in peace.  But she knew that it wouldn't last.  Though she was carefully keeping Valgaav's human form up to date with what his human age should be, and his dragonic essence sealed from other's senses, he was still just an infant dragon, and it would become evident in twenty to thirty years that his personality did not match his age.  Such a short time to live in one town, it seemed to Filia, but eventually they would have to leave before someone called in a dragon slayer or Val became so riled as to break the form-binding spells she had placed upon him to keep him in human shape.  The boy still did not know he was a dragon, not to mention the last dragon if his kind, and she had decided it would be best to tell him of his true form when he was at least thirty or forty.  Still a baby, but old enough to understand why he was still young while the humans around him had grown and matured.  

            For tonight, however, she was going to enjoy what little years she had left with this particular group of humans, and perhaps form some acquaintances before she had to leave them.  She sighed softly, gazing at herself in the mirror.  She hated to admit it, but she missed being with those of her own kind.  She had not heard from any other golden dragons since her own clan had been massacred at the ancient dragon's temple, and even the old master of her temple died at the hands of the old Valgaav five years ago.  She had been trying to avoid any contact with them, actually, to keep the reincarnated Val safe from those that would still want to kill him: the zealous members of various golden dragon clans and those that were still fearful of ancient dragon powers and knowledge.  She would most likely never be able to join her own people again, what she was doing now was a great treason to the old laws and codes that few had forgotten.  No one seemed to regret the actions of the oldest members of her clan, the mass killing of an entire other clan of dragons.  Learning of this had made her feel a great pain and apathy towards the others, a feeling that she was alone in the regret of a past she hadn't even participated in.  

            Filia held her forehead in her hands, sinking onto her bed for a moment.  Just thinking of these things made her want to weep bitterly, but she was stronger now.  She had resolved to carry her memories and emotions to her grave, no matter how painful they were or how wrong others had deemed them.  She knew how she felt, and would not regret what she did then or now.  She looked up once more, her resolve reinforced by the mental coaching session and her mind cleared of doubts.  She would accept who she was and her actions, which included going to this human festival in the middle of nowhere and enjoying herself for a little bit.  

            She picked herself up off the bed, her skirt rustling smoothly with her movement.  The gown seemed to fit her perfectly, curving gently with her body and showing just the right amount of skin for her liking.  Two long slits along the sides of the straight, silky skirt gave her ample room for graceful actions, while the hem itself hung just inches from the floor.  Filia gazed wearily into the mirror settled next to her in the corner of her room, adjusting the thin straps that held the gown on her shoulders and smoothing her golden hair.  She put on a small white coat, being that it was rather chilly at this time of year, and began to leave her room with long, elegant strides.  Yes, she had changed in the past five years, having become disenchanted with her own race and hardly accepted into another; her only companions being the strangely intelligent and powerful Val with his vastly immature outlook on life, and her two enemies-turned-friends Glavos and Jiras.  Her thoughts hummed like a veil in her head as she made her way down the stairs into the store part of her home, subconsciously scanning the shelves of pottery in reassurance.  As the dragon-woman made her way to the entrance, she opened her mouth to call to her stubborn son, hoping not to be too late for the festivities.  She was surprised, though, as she ran into a ready and grinning Val standing right at the exit, holding a small pack in his arms with one foot already out of the door.

            "Ready to go now, mama?"  He asked innocently, pushing the rest of the door open for her.

            "Ahh… well, yes, I suppose," Filia stammered, then, regaining the composure lost after seeing an obedient son, thanked him politely for opening the door, and began to guide him off into the dusky streets towards Jiras's residence just a few houses away.  He was strangely quiet the whole trip, but still maintained that mischievous grin.  _Probably thinks he's up to something_, Filia thought grudgingly, her solemn concerns put aside to make room for the more pressing apprehensions of a mother.  But, for now, she decided not to pursue Val's scheme.  This was a night of festivities after all, and he could have a little fun, as long as it wasn't too dangerous.  Not to mention the fact that Filia knew Jiras would rather die than have his reincarnated master get into any kind of perilous trouble.  _Especially if he knows what's good for him_, she thought, a wry grin on her face as she imagined the red fox struggling to stop the headstrong boy from doing something undoubtedly stupid.  Her amused thoughts stopped short, however, as they reached a small house on the end of a shabby block.  It was a reasonably well kept, modest home with a small machine shed out back for when the little fox was "destructively inspired".  Oil lamps produced light in the home, indicating Jiras had remembered his babysitting job and was home, awaiting his charge's arrival.  Filia knelt down to be on eye level with Valgaav.

            "Now, do not cause any trouble tonight, Val.  And don't give me that innocent look either, I saw the way you were smiling when we left and I'm going to remind you now that I will _not_ be pleased if you cause any more problems today, seeing as how your _already_ grounded," she said simply enough.  The boy started, a bit surprised that she knew of his plans, and then looked away sheepishly with a slight laugh.  A small, gentle smile grew on Filia's lips, and she kissed her son on the forehead before standing up once more; sending the young dragon towards the door of her employee's home.  

Valgaav walked towards the door lightly, pack slung nonchalantly over his shoulder and with one hand in his pocket.  

"Bye-bye Val, see you tomorrow," she called, adding, "and be _good_, please!"

He turned and waved cheerfully before completing his journey to the house.  Filia stayed at the road until she saw him enter the house, giving a slight nod and smile of appreciation to Jiras before turning and walking towards the center of town, where the event building and grounds were located.  Night was just beginning to creep into the little nooks and crannies of the buildings in forms of deep shadow, and the amber light of sunset was washing over everything in sight, giving a rustic glow to the old town and keeping a light smile on Filia's face.  She would soon arrive at the festival and (hopefully) make a good enough impression on her neighbors to gain some acceptance into the small social community of Ruxtoul.  

Her shadow grew larger as the sun set in front of her, and she felt filled with a strange excitement over the coming occasion as a stray breeze lifter her hair and made her feel weightless and joyful, reminding her of dragonic flight and freedom.

**A/N:  ok, so I lied, I'm updating as slow as ever.  But that's ok, right?  Were all friends here…  I'm beginning to wind down chapter-wise, and I think I might actually finish up in the next one.  Sweet-hotness, ne?  Well, anyway, enjoy the chaos!**

**Disclaimer:  yah, yah… not mine… whatever…**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

            Twilight burned brightly in Sailoon; the night was most defiantly young.  At least, those were the distracted thoughts of Shyphiel as she strolled through the dancing lamp-flames of the streets, her entourage following at a slow pace.  They had been traveling without breaks for the past six hours, and were looking for some sort of inn to rest at before they all collapsed.  Shyphiel had insisted they arrive for the wedding at least three days early, and according to her internal clock, they were exactly on time.  Still, she pressed her students onward, and just to encourage them a little, cast a slight recovery spell on the group.  They had to find the inn closest to the castle, and Shyphiel had never felt so determined to arrive, find Gourry and/or Lina, and fulfill whatever devious plots had formed in her mind since she had read that fateful letter so long ago.  This marriage had just seemed so wrong, so completely immoral that the mere thought burned like a scar in her heart.  She often had thoughts of the blond swordsman who had known her for so long, never returning her affections.  She had deemed the one-sided love simply the fault of his limited intelligence, but now those disgusting images of him with Lina: the touch, the look, the kiss; such things that had seemed destined for only her festered in her mind, making her want to break down crying and blow up the world all at once. She had tried so hard to make sure of it, trying to attach her soul to her Gourry's; so firm in the belief he was her one and only soul mate. But now that red-haired temptress had somehow seduced the simple minded man, and still had the gall to invite his only true love to their unholy union.  

_Lina is truly tactless, and if she though I would just lay down and…and take this injustice, she has quite another thing coming,_ she though bitterly, openly glaring at anyone who dared look her way.  She brushed a few strands of glossy black hair out of her eyes, for the first time feeling the hotness of her skin and the perspiration soaking into her glove.  She looked at her hand surprised, all of the anxiety and adrenalin that accompanied her arrival in Sailoon must have blocked out how tired she actually felt.  She looked back once again at her panting apprentices, suddenly feeling cold and dizzy, and the lights of the city blurred together as her eyelids became like deadweights.  

"Ahh… s-sensei?" asked a young maiden of about 13, the first one to actually speak in anything over a quiet whisper since their departure "are you feeling well?"  Her words were careful not to upset the emotionally unstable shrine maiden, but to no avail.  Shyphiel's glittering green eyes narrowed in the dusky street.  

"Of course I'm alright," She snapped, all the while swaying like she was about to fall over.  She turned sharply, a big mistake, and fell sideways to the cobbled street.  Panting, she shook her head and tried to clear her mind, but failed, and then promptly fainted onto the road while curious Sailoon citizens watched with lifted brows.  The demi-shrine maidens blinked at each other for a while in surprise at their senseis dramatic behavior, but the eldest, assuming leadership, calmly suggested they take their master to the nearest inn and await further instruction there upon her awakening.  This was quickly agreed upon, and the girls lifted Shyphiel's sickly, unconscious body as well as they could, half-dragging the woman to the nearest Inn.

*   *   *

            A cool breeze wafted over the packed dirt of the open-air hall, stirring bright lamp flames and rustling the fallen leaves of autumn.  The air was cool and refreshing against the skin, giving energy and spirit to each person at the festival, and allowing for smooth conversation and upbeat music.  Sweet and spicy aromas blended beautifully in the air, inviting partakers to eat and drink the bounties of a year of labor.  Young women giggled and young men boasted; while the husbands, wives, grandmothers and grandfathers joked of the old days and their own youthful experiences.  Children that had been hanging around all day to catch a glimpse of the adult party were deftly sent home as the wine and ale were carted out.  

            Filia wove her way amongst the crowd, delicately holding her crystal wine glass, half full of the lucent red beverage.  She once again had found herself in a dilemma, not knowing whether to mingle with the middle aged wives or the unmarried young girls or in between, her social status as a human was a bit unclear now that she was faced with it.  To what group did a young, unmarried, single-mother foreigner belong to, exactly?  Finally, she settled for standing by one of the wooden tables steeped with food, having passing conversation with all who visited in a short, friendly manner.  As stars began fading into existence in the inky blue sky, Filia discovered that, while none of the wives would have anything to do with her (and through them, fearful husbands as well), she had a few very nice chats with the local girls and a few nervous looking young men.  She was ever asked to dance on a few choice occasions, though she often had to contain her laughter at the strange and clumsy way in which human boys danced, no matter what pace the live music set their feet to.  She drank, ate, and socialized as the night grew deeper and the lamps brighter.  The soft conversations of before became a bit louder and more cheery as the alcohol took its effect, though Filia remained relatively unaffected.  It took a lot to make a dragon drunk.   

            The winds grew colder as a round and full moon rose into the sky, attempting to illuminate the dancers and socializers softly in a silver light while fighting against the golden flicker of the lamplights.  Filia admired the scene for a while, amongst all the dark forms moving around her, until her musings were interrupted by a slight chill working up her spine.  She shivered involuntarily, but the feeling was gone as quickly as it had come.   Her cool blue eyes now swept across the crowd, from the loud songs of a group of disgruntled husbands to the high-pitched laughter of some energetic and swaying wives.  Most of the young girls and boys had paired off and were dancing contentedly to a buoyant song, played mostly by a cheery violin player and percussionist; while the rest had snuck off with more intimate settings in mind.  Finally, instinct called her attention to a pair of piercing magenta eyes that were actively boring their way into hers from a few yards away.  She blinked, surprised, and in that moment lost track of whoever had been staring at her.  The shadows of dancers closed in once again, and she was overcome by a strange feeling; making her feel weak yet energetic at the same time.  

Just as her mind began to calm and her tension fade, the soft sensation of a warm breath caressed her neck and shoulders; causing her the jump and turn her head to the source.  Once again she found herself looking into deep, red-violet eyes, only this time set in pale skin and framed with long, black hair.  He noted the surprise on her face with a sly smile; then bowed his head, moving to the dance floor, his gloved arm having slunk around her waist without her noticing.  As if on queue the music became slow, spicy and rich, and the dancers were reduced to a few of the more intimate couples.  Filia's unexpected partner began to move with the beat in elaborate and graceful steps, carefully and nimbly moving their bodies between the others while still keeping up with the pace and style.  His expression remained schooled and serious throughout the entire dance, though he still gazed intently at the stunned and gauche Filia.  After a few heartbeats, though, Filia became entranced with his movements, and began to add her own elegant and stylish moves to the dance.  The result was an astounding display of grace and balance that managed to capture the attention of all the surrounding people, from the young couples to those stupefied with alcohol.  The violinist of the band began to alternate and shift the rhythm, testing to see if they could keep up with his musical prowess.  Indeed they could keep up, and easily so, their movements almost surpassing the skills of the simple country musician.  The muttering wives began to speak their rumors after prying their eyes away from the dancers, their voices low and serpentine with malice towards Filia and this new stranger.  

Filia herself was in a type of trance, as all of the other elements of background and people became white noise and shadows.  A slight tingle had set into her nerves, and everything seemed more vibrant and surreal.  Her dress flew dramatically about her, the pure white of its color contrasting against the black and grey colors of her consort's semi-formal wear.  The world blurred together, and she felt fragile yet light on her feet.  Finally, after what seemed like eternity, the drums slowed to a stop and the violin died down in one long, mournful note.  Filia gasped and came back to her senses, still held in the strong arms of her partner.  The youngsters and drunks clapped vehemently; the young girls in awe of the romance and the boys amazed by the pure athleticism of the dance, while the drunks just liked the show.  

Filia blushed and began to walk off the floor, a modest laugh bubbling from her pink lips, but the enigmatic crown managed to persuade her to join in the next dance.  Music once again flared up out of the band, and the cycle of the festival began anew with another song.  She began to join in more and more dances, stopping only for a momentary rest or drink of wine before the next burst of music sounded, and she was convinced to join.  The festival continued jovially into the deep night, even as the full moon rose high over their heads and lamps burned down to their last licks of oil or wick.  All the while, the black-haired male, who had commandeered her attention from all the rest of the boys, kept with her while still managing to stave attention away from himself.  No one seemed to know him from anywhere, and his presence became quite a mystery to those still sober enough to think about it.  

Nevertheless, the party continued, and the festive adults soon found themselves in cheerful conversation and dance with everyone; the cliques of a few hours ago set aside as the town came together.  Later on in the evening, some of the black mage academy students were convinced to liven up things with a few fireworks (or iceworks, lighteningworks, etc.) and the sky lit up with dazzling, though somewhat clumsy, displays of color and power.  Each new magical creation was greeted with much clapping and shouting, and even the children who had dared stayed up that late in their rooms were watching the sky with awe and delight.  As the moon rose higher and the night deepened still, a few began to wander away to their homes; having their fill of fun, dancing, ale, or a combination of all three.  Some, however, still kept the lamps lit and wine flowing, even though all the food was gone and the older citizens had gone home for the night.  

 Eventually, Filia began to leave, her head humming with music and the black-haired man still at her side.  She still felt light and electrified, even as the sounds of the festival died in her ears, replaced by the occasional chirp of night creatures, the wind through barren tree limbs, or the breaths of her mysterious consort, who now seemed as familiar as her own shadow.  She knew their destination well, but was powerless in the grip of her now wild emotions, and the more gentle hold of his arm.  Together they walked, as the lamps faded into distance, leaving only silver moonlight and light footfalls to mark their trail into velvet darkness.

*  *  *

Despite all previous convictions, Val was bored.  Again.  He had practiced magic for a while, but his Uncle Jiras defiantly did not make a good sparring partner. The Foxman could not bring himself to even try and attack, and was so pitifully weak that Val felt badly for attacking him.  And so his evening of fun was reduced to a few fireballs into the sky and destroying some wooden targets he had set up on a fence.  Jiras was, as always, way to nice and cheerful (not to mention constantly groveling), so Val went to the guest bedroom slightly annoyed, with a large, thoughtfully prepared dinner and dessert.  Being who he was, Val immediately ate the dessert and tossed the dinner, and had begun to spend his time creating and extinguishing light spells as fast as he could in many different intensities and colors.  It had been interesting for a while, but his energy had drained quickly and now all he could do was lay on his bed and count the cracks in the ceiling.    

            "67..." he mumbled absently as he yawned against his will, losing count in the process.  He was quite tired, but couldn't sleep for anything, and as the night wore on he sensed the air growing thick with magic.  Rolling off the bed, he grabbed a chair from a small desk set and dragged it over to the window.  Climbing onto the chair base, he opened the window, breathing in the cool air of the night and wondering momentarily how much fun his mom was having at that moment.  Looking skyward, he saw the reason for the magic-heavy air as some sloppily made fire magic spells exploded against the stars and lit up the night briefly.  Val crinkled his brow in disgust at the inexperienced castings, and thought of all the ways they could have done better in the power and effects.  His thoughts were in vain though, and he settled down on the windowsill to watch the sky through half closed eyes.

*  *  *

            "We should elope," Lina said with serious finality.  She was sitting up straight in a fancy chair before a large vanity mirror, struggling to brush all the numerous tangles out of her soft, light-orange hair.  The evening had gone well enough (she was still licking ice cream from the corners of her mouth), but she was now just that much closer to her widely publicized and costly wedding, and it was starting to make her nervous.  

            "Ehh?" replied Gourry, who had been laying quite contentedly on the bed, his hands clasped behind his head and his eyes closed.  

            "Amelia went through a lot of trouble for us, but this is much to big.  I know most of your family has arrived, and I'm pretty sure mine will be coming tomorrow…" she shuddered involuntarily at the mention of her family, but still continued on "I defiantly don't want to see them…. So, we should elope.  How does tonight sound?"

            "I dunno..." Gourry started, his voice touching on apprehensive. 

            "Oh, it'll be fine.  My family is used to it, and you've already left yours once already.  Amelia will get over it too, given a few years worth of a cooling off period…" she said, putting down the brush and staring uneasily at her reflection for a few moments.

            "Ahh, what I mean is, what does 'elope' mean, Lina?"

            Lina did a slight face vault into the various powders and scents that stocked the vanity desk, sending a small cloud of white into the air. She then sat up again, quite shaken, and looked at her bewildered fiancée.  Her expression softened a little, though, and she stated simply "never mind Gourry, never mind…"

            "But…" he said, venturing a little, then gave up with a shrug of his broad shoulders.  Lina sighed and stood up, brushing the powders off her face and nightgown and joining Gourry on the bed.  The back of her hand fell against his chest, the warmth offering the little bit of comfort she needed before the next day came.  Gourry smiled and curled his arm around her, bringing her a little closer as her chin touched the cloth on his shoulder.  Lina reluctantly let go of her idea, and decided to take a more Gourry point of view of the whole affair, and let everything play out at it would.  As long as they were getting married, what did it matter where or how fancy?  Not mention the fact that this wedding would provide tons of food, a delicious cake, and accommodations for all guest's (including herself and Gourry) completely free of charge.  Lina joined Gourry in his contentment, and only got out of bed one more time that night to turn out the light.

*  *  *

The first birds of a new day began to chirp against the dead silence of dawn.  A pale sun peaked cautiously over the horizon, tinting the sky and shining rays through a dust-streaked window.  Filia's dim room was slightly lighted, and stray rays of sunlight caused her messy, golden hair to be illuminated against the rumpled covers and skewed pillows.  In the shadows beyond the bed, a figure moved about slowly, gathering clothing from the floor and moving items back into place.  Clad only in loose black pants, he picked up a few shirts from the floor and carried them nonchalantly in the crook of his arm.  Moving around the bed, the pastel morning light caught his smooth, dark violet hair and lean masculine figure.  The need for petty disguise had faded when he and Filia had entered her home, and the concentration required for such an image change was unnecessary. 

 _If it was even needed in the first place_, Xellos mused, admiring the sleeping dragon woman in the soft light.  His lips formed a wry smile, while his amethyst eyes opened into a strange expression halfway between amusement and sorrow.  In that moment, his image blurred slightly, then seemed to fade before slowly resuming a physical shape again.  Xellos merely sighed and shook his head at the outward discomfort, and moved a few paces to the bedside.  Leaning over slightly, he traced her elegant neck and still pink cheeks with his fingertips, until he reached the bottom of a long, elf-like ear.  He leaned in closer; his face brushing hers while his breath gently stirred her hair.

"Sayonara, Filia-chan…" he whispered, his voice husky and emotionless, barely audible in her sensitive ears.  The sad smile still playing on his face, he moved to her lips, brushing them with his once again as his image blurred, then disappeared completely before the strengthening radiance of daybreak.

*  *  *

She awoke with a start.  Tossing the warm blanket from her body and a cool washcloth from her forehead, Shyphiel woke up drenched in sweat and with a racing heartbeat in her ears.  Her sitting position, however, was quickly reversed as her eyes darkened and her muscles trembled feebly against her mind.  Flopping back onto the soft and spacious bed, she realized the full extent of her weakness as fever nipped at her mind and weakness shivered in her muscles.  Uttering a soft moan, her bright green eyes scanned her surroundings from bed-level.  Observing a large, wooden clock ticking steadily in a corner, she saw it was well past noon, and bright sunlight was filtering through medium sized windows into the fairly spacious room she had somehow come to be in.  Memories of the night before flashed through her head, and she guessed that her students had taken her to a suitable inn after her slight mishap in street.  

Thinking back upon it now, maybe she had over exhausted herself slightly, and probably set a new land-speed record for getting from Sairaag to Sailoon in the process.  _What a complete waste of time!_ her thoughts roared, this sickness business was keeping her from her goal and seriously impairing her ability to move.  Dread crept like ice into her heart, and she was suddenly very afraid that she would not be able to reach Gourry before his wedding, and end up losing him forever, without a fight.  She would not be able to bring herself to face a married man, but the precious few days of her beloved's bachelorhood were fading quickly, and she had to act.  Gathering herself for a moment, Shyphiel once again attempted to sit up, this time more slowly and painfully, but she did succeed.  Frowning at the effort, she began to slide her feet out from under the covers and onto the smooth, hardwood floor, which was much colder than it should have been for such a sunny day.  Shuddering involuntarily, she steeled herself, and stood up, grasping one of the bed poles for support.  Judging from the intense headache and dizziness, her exhaustion had been worse than she had accounted for, but she was making slow progress.  

"Shyphiel-sensei!" a loud and annoyingly high-pitched voice called from somewhere behind her, causing the edgy shrine-priestess to jump and fall right back onto the bed.  The young girl that had spoken out to her master gasped slightly, and ran daintily over to the bed to see if she could help.  Seeing her once strong and serene sensei in a state of swirly-eyed, weak confusion was enough to bring tears to the younger priestess's large, pink eyes.  

"A-Aldia…" Shyphiel grumbled once she had regained a small portion of her senses, "Wha-what's going on?  What happened?"

"I'm just so glad to see you awake sensei!  We were all so worried when you fainted all the sudden like that, especially since you were in the middle of scolding us for wanting to rest," Aldia replied and an adoring, respectful tone, seemingly unaware of her sarcastic wording.  Shyphiel glared at her student, but allowed the long-winded and ditzy girl to continue.  

"After you fell over we had to take you somewhere to rest.  Ohhh, it was so embarrassing, all these weird guys were laughing at us, and some of them offered to help, but we said 'no'.  Shrine maidens are supposed to be the helping ones, right?  Well, we got to the first nice looking inn we found, which was maybe four blocks from where you fell.  You know, you're really heavy sensei, we almost had to drag you through the street!  Umm, so we went inside, and ahh," Aldia sighed, somehow having breath left in her from the explanation "the receptionist guy was so cute!  And nice too, he helped us bring you to the room, and gave us a little discount too.  Sheli ended up asking him out, but I was really ready to fight her for that..." Aldia paused for a moment, after hearing an angry growl from the increasingly impatient Shyphiel, then laughed it off in her light, tittering way "Well, anyway, we made it to this room, and put you in the bed, and that's how you're here, ok?" She finished, blinking innocently and presenting a laughing smile.

Shyphiel, however, was not amused.  It seemed her own body wasn't going to allow her to continue on this most important of quests.  Not that something that trivial could stop her.  She began to try and stand up again, but was greeted by a gasp and a push from Aldia.  

"No, no sensei!  You're much to weak to stand!  I'll get some of the other girls to bring you something to eat if your hungry, but otherwise you should stay in bed," Aldia said dramatically, ignoring the once again swirly-eyed state of her master.

Shyphiel grumbled loudly once she had regained her senses (again).  

"Aldia, I have to find some very important people before that…that _wedding _tomorrow, and you don't get out of my way I'll be forced to demote you as my student," she hissed, her attitude the complete opposite of it's usual, cheery sweetness.  Aldia, slightly taken aback, allowed Shyphiel a little more room as she stood up once again on shaky legs.  

"Umm… sensei…" she started, notably more hesitant than before.

"What?"  Shyphiel replied, her voice seeming tired and annoyed at the same time.

"Well, I thought you should know that you've been sleeping for a long time now… a whole day actually, and that wedding thing you've been talking would be today, right?"

Shyphiel blinked at this new information that her student had neglected to mention before, several things clicking in her brain at once.  To Aldia's abject horror, her master once again fell to the bed.

*  *  *

            It was just as she had envisioned, which was a huge compliment considering her imagination.  White, marble floors gleamed perfectly in the sunlight, and the whole hall was illuminated beautifully in soft, white light.  The numerous, elegant pews lined both sides of the well-decorated and large room, and were seated with various people of differing stature and rank.  Everyone was hushed and serious, regardless of their feelings; which was a rare thing considering all of the merchants and noblemen who had gathered for the occasion.  Surprisingly, many members from both of the families had shown up for the wedding of Lina and Gourry, thought there were still notable absences. 

 Gourry's father, citing anger over the loss of the Sword of Light, hadn't shown up, though his mother and brother had (with a just tinge of resentment in their attitudes as well).  Much to Lina's disappointment, all of her immediate family has come, including the dreaded Luna, who had 'insisted' she become a bridesmaid for the ceremony.  There was something disturbing about the dark-looking Knight of Ceipheed in a lacy and somewhat ugly cream-colored gown, though no one dared mention it.  Zelgadis, a person who Amelia had gone through great lengths to try and get an invitation too, was also absent, saddening the princess immensely.  She had hoped all of the old group would come, Zel especially, but apparently the invitation hadn't found the elusive chimera.  Shyphiel was also gone, even though Amelia had heard the shrine priestess was coming with a group of her students from Sairaag.  She hadn't even tried to find Xellos, both because a mazoku would be extreme bad luck at her nice, pure ceremony and because finding the priest would be quite impossible, even for the best of messengers.  Filia's new home, some strange town bordering the countries of Dils and Lyzeille, was much too far away to get a message to in time, so Amelia had personally written a letter telling the golden dragon of the wedding.  The king and queen of New Zoana (which was actually a very tiny kingdom hardly consisting of a city), Martina and Zangulus, had arrived quite melodramatically, and upon arrival the king shamelessly challenged Gourry to a sword fight on sight (which, of course, Gourry won easily).  

All in all, Amelia had been a little disappointed in the turnout of old friends, but looked ahead with optimism to the coming ceremony.  Lina had happily chosen her benefactor as the maid of honor, and Amelia admired her hard work from the front of the congregation, her pride and happiness causing her large blue eyes to grow shiny and blissful.  She was almost on the verge of crying when the hired musicians began the wedding march, and all eyes turned towards the entrance of the hall, where, at the end of an exceedingly long and elegant purple carpet, the bride would step out for all to see.  She was not immediately there, and Amelia noticed a deep and knowing frown in the face of Lina's father.  Biting her lip, Amelia turned her eyes back to the entrance, just in time to see Lina step out onto the carpet, dressed in the traditional Sailoon white gown of marriage.

Amelia almost burst out laughing.  Too see Lina, the loud, fiery, and decidedly un-lady-like woman dressed so elegantly in lace and veil was almost too much to bear.  But, she managed to contain herself and maintain a straight face.  Everyone around her had gazes fixed intently at Lina, and for the first time Amelia realized how beautiful Lina could make herself, given the effort.  Her expression was smooth and downcast, and her movements slow and graceful.  About halfway up the carpet she stumbled slightly, but caught herself quickly, her serene expression only momentarily spoiled by a twitch at the side of her mouth and eyebrow.  Those close enough and with good hearing might have heard her growl something along the lines of "damn heels…" but for the most part, the slip went unnoticed.  She walked the rest of the way up the long carpet (Amelia made note that perhaps she had made it too long…) and finally arrived at the alter, where her husband-to-be was waiting.  

Amelia beamed all throughout the long and wordy Sailoon marriage ceremony that followed, managing only a slight sweatdrop every time Gourry seemed to doze off and Lina or the best man, Zangulus, had to lightly smash the blonde man's toe or heel.  After a small eternity, the priest called for the rings to be presented and placed on the hands of those to be wedded, and after some slight fumbling on Gourry's part, the task was done, surprisingly, without difficulty.  The priest continued after this, his words of justice and honor and the rest blurring together slightly as Lina started to look just a smidge uncomfortable, and Gourry's attention wandered profusely.   Amelia took this fidgeting as a sign disaster was soon to follow, so she moved slightly behind another bridesmaid and motioned to the priest, a well paid employee of the royal family, to cut it short, and to do it quickly.  After clearing his throat softly, the robed and somewhat condescending man somehow found his way to the end of the ceremony very quickly, and after another minute of talking, calmly asked if there were any objectors to the wedding amongst the group of carefully invited family and friends.  Smiling, either because he was at the end of his long-winded speech or that he wouldn't have to deal with any objections, the priest then directed Gourry to kiss his bride.  

Amelia focused her full attention to this moment, and her eyes once again became very large and watery.  The final, most romantic thing on earth (in Amelia's mind at least) was about to take place between her friends, right in front of her.  Gourry's strong arms, clad in the black and white formal groom's clothing, lifted the veil from Lina's face, and his expression was something Amelia wanted to remember forever.  He leaned down slightly, not too much thanks to Lina's heeled shoes, and the two closed their eyes.  Their lips met for a long moment, and Amelia gasped happily, one tear rolling unnoticed down her cheek and meeting her blissful smile.  The ceremony was complete now, and without any glaring problems.  Secretly, Amelia had been expecting something to go horribly wrong, probably ending with a dragon-slave or some other huge, destructive act.  This ending was quite a relief for the princess of Sailoon, but like most things in life, her hopes were dashed before the priest could declare her friends man and wife and be done with it.  For at the moment of the very last word out of the priest, the shrine maiden Shyphiel Nels Lahda decided to slam open the doors to the hall, and burst into the room.

*  *  *

            Gourry could hardly recognize her; the most obvious reason for this being that he had just spent the last two hours admiring his wife-to-be, and his thoughts had become something of a happy haze (not that it wasn't unusual).  The second reason was that the woman standing at the end of the long, purple carpet looked more like a zombie than a person.  Her hair was stringy and ragged, without any of the luster that was usually so prominent in Shyphiel's smooth, black locks.  Her eyes looked completely different: tired and haggard, yet glittering with intensity in the brightly lit hall.  She was hunched over the shoulder of a younger girl with bright pink hair and eyes, who somehow managed to look concerned, scared, confused, and apologetic at the same time.  He was attached to the image of a smiling, sweet Shyphiel cooking good food and, well not doing much else due to Gourry's poor memory, but still, this was a very different version of the haggard woman who stood before him.

            The raven-haired woman took a trembling step forward, pushing her student away, as her gaze focused on the couple ahead, ignoring everything else.  Gourry couldn't help but wonder why she was coming forward, when all of the guests were supposed to be seated in the pews, and scratched the back of his head absently in confusion.  Out of pure habit, he turned to Lina for a bit of insight into the matter, but found her to be glaring at Shyphiel as well.  She seemed to be in one her more dangerous moods, so Gourry wisely decided not to say anything.  

            "Gourry-sama…" Shyphiel said, approaching them slowly "Gourry… wha-what are you doing?"  She seemed to be in a kind of shock, seeing him in wedding attire next to Lina.  In her disheveled state, she looked almost like a blemish upon the carefully produced beauty of the scene. The shrine maiden was starting to receive several glares from all of the impatient and hungry guests who had to wait even longer for the ceremony to end.  

            "Ahh, Shyphiel, I think if you want to see the wedding you have to go sit down…" Gourry said noncommittally, gesturing to the seats at the sides of the aisles.  His sky blue eyes were still a bit wide with confusion, but he just wanted to end this rather boring ceremony and, as a result, stop having his feet get smashed when he dozed off.  Gourry started a bit when he saw tears form in Shyphiel's eyes.  She opened her mouth to speak again, her eyes boring into Gourry's, but was cut off when Lina stepped forward.  With her arms crossed and her head bowed, she looked quite menacing in the white lace of the dress.  

            "That's enough Shyphiel," she stated simply, crimson eyes scowling and serious.  The shrine maiden looked taken aback by this, but her expression quickly turned to anger as she looked at her one-time comrade.

            "I won't—" she began in a hard tone, but was once again stopped by the fiery sorceress.  

            "Shyphiel," Lina said, her tone similar to that of a scolding parent, "its not going to work, your wrong about this"

            "As if you know how I feel… how anyone feels!" Shyphiel replied angrily, tears bubbling in her eyes "I can't let this happen, Gourry-sama... he—"

            All the while Gourry stood on the sidelines of this strange battle, feeling, all in all, quite helpless.  Lina and this other woman were arguing, and Lina was starting to look quite angry at the whole situation, though he could pick out a certain amount of sadness hidden in her gaze.  Suddenly, Shyphiel huffed angrily, and turned back to Gourry, whose attention had already begun to wander off.

            "Gourry-sama, your coming with me now, ok?  I know you don't want to be here…" Shyphiel pleaded, her voice firm, but tinged with tears and hopelessness.  Gourry looked to Lina, then at the entire hall full of people around him.

            "Umm… I'm kind of busy right now…" he said, still unsure of exactly why she had come here just to ask him to leave.  He heard the light sound of a 'tch' beside him, and looked to Lina once again, just in time to see her throw up her hands and chant the last part of some spell.  

            "Diem Wing!"

            Shyphiel was encased in a magic blue bubble, her green eyes wide with surprise at the sudden change of environment.  She opened her mouth to scream as the bubble went hurling backwards, carrying her out the entrance.  Her pink-haired friend jumped to the side in a moment of quick reaction, just dodging the speedy magic.  Shyphiel's departure created a strong wind, blowing everything near the end of the pews in disarray, from delicately arranged flowers to even more delicately arranged hairdos.  The audience's attention drifted back to the front as the doors slammed shut and the air settled once again.  Lina brushed her hands together, rearranged the veil on her head, and turned back to the now gaping priest.

            "You were saying?"

*  *  *

            The evening hadn't been a total disaster at least.  The walls were still intact, the castle was still standing, and all the guests were still happily breathing.  Amelia had been planning for disaster, but with only a few de-petaled flowers and ruffled guests; the turnout had been fantastic for one involving Lina Inverse.  _Well… Lina Gabreiv now_, she thought, smiling warmly at the realization.  The reception had been calm and cordial, with all the Champaign, tiny entrees, and light dances expected from the Sailoon royal house.  Everyone had conveniently forgotten the little discrepancy at the ceremony, and much to the joy of the Sailoon princess; the night had ended with no further problems.  _Planning and executing an entire, full-scale wedding in only two weeks… there's another accomplishment of justice for you…_ she thought happily, lying in her bed after a too-long day in a stuffy dress and overwhelming stress.  Tomorrow morning she would be seeing Gourry and Lina off as they went on their honeymoon; a little trip she had hastily planned to her own personal royal vacation home on the coast.  She couldn't escape her princess duties any longer than just seeing them off, and had a full day of paperwork ahead of her after all of the guests left.  Not that any of that could bring down the mood of Amelia at this moment, she was brimming with a sense of satisfaction.  Her friends had finally gotten together, and she had helped immensely in their endeavors.  Blowing out the lights and flopping into bed that night, Amelia's dreams were as sweet as ever.

            **A/N:  Yaaay, tis' completed!  My longest chapter is also my last, as I have finally made up my mind as to the format of my story.  It's actually going to be two stories (maybe 3?), instead of one of 2 parts.  So, Bright Darkness is done now.  Completed.  Finito.  And it will serve as a prequel to the next story, the main story, Slayers: Link.  So watch out for the next chapters of that story, and all will be well in the world.  Also, I noted the timeline of this story might be a bit confusing to some, so I'll clarify right now.  The Zelgadis sections happened very quickly, over the course of a few hours, while the Filia, Val, and Xellos sections take place over 2 days, and finally the Lina, Gourry, Shyphiel, and Amelia sections take place over a period of two weeks.  This means the sections did not all go in chronological order.  Sorry if I just confused the hell out of anyone…  Special thanks to any and all reviewers, and to Small Lady for bugging me till I wrote (fingers moving!)  ^^**

**insert disclaimer here  ehh…**


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